Bonus shelf · Always-on agents

Perplexity Computer (Personal Computer)

Perplexity's agent for multi-step work across the web, files and connected apps; the Personal Computer desktop app adds your local files and apps and, on a Mac mini, runs 24/7 in the background.

No-codeFree plan

Visit perplexity.ai (opens in a new tab) ↗

Our take Kratuva

Best for: Researchers and operators who want an agent that can mix web research, local files and Mac apps, and who can keep a Mac mini running for overnight work.
Not for: Anyone who needs a predictable monthly bill for heavy agent use, since big tasks can burn thousands of credits.

Price

From: $17/month billed annually(Pro, includes weekly Computer usage); Max $167/month billed annually with 10,000 credits a month; extra credits at 100 credits per $1
Model: subscription plus credits for Computer tasks; auto-refill is off by default
Free plan: Yes
Checked: 9 Oct 2026

Prices change. Check the vendor page before you buy.

What Perplexity Computer (Personal Computer) is good at

Builds teams of agents across 20+ frontier models and picks the models for each task, with 400+ app connectors on paid plans.
On a Mac it can read, write and search folders you connect and operate Mail, Finder, Slack, Messages and Notes; you can start, pause or adjust tasks from your iPhone.
On supported Apple silicon, AMD or NVIDIA hardware a local model can handle private steps, and work the local model does uses no credits.
Actions run in an isolated sandbox with on-device authorization for sensitive steps, and Mac mini sessions use two-factor authentication.

Where Perplexity Computer (Personal Computer) breaks

Computer runs on credits (100 credits = $1): light tasks use about 100 to 350 credits and the largest projects 2,400 to 9,800; when credits run out, active tasks pause.
Credits used by a task that finished are not refunded even if the result was not what you wanted, and monthly credits do not roll over.
Max accounts have a monthly cap on credit charges, $200 by default and adjustable up to $5,000; Pro gets a weekly included allowance, then credits or auto-refill.
Perplexity says always-on use works best on a Mac mini left running; control of installed apps is not yet available on Windows.

When a custom build beats Perplexity Computer (Personal Computer)

When the same report runs every week from the same sources, a scripted pipeline over the Sonar API or your own scraper costs a fraction of per-task credits.

Setup

No-code. Someone comfortable with spreadsheets can set it up. No code needed.

Sources

Price checked 9 Oct 2026. If something here is out of date, email indra@kratuva.com and we will fix it.

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Who runs this shop

Kratuva makes AI-first software. Our first product is Ruam, for teams that work apart. It shows how the working day went without screenshots or keystroke logging. Join the Ruam waitlist.

Occasionally we build with teams we like. Say hi: indra@kratuva.com.

Checked 9 Oct 2026

Every price and claim links to its source. Prices change often, so check the vendor's page before you buy. No affiliate links: nobody paid to be here. Logos belong to their owners and are shown only to name each tool, not as an endorsement.